Calif. Court Rules Against Car Seizures

Newsday reports:

A sharply divided state Supreme Court ruled that California cities can no longer seize vehicles whose drivers are arrested for allegedly buying drugs or soliciting prostitutes.

The ruling Thursday overturns the laws of more than two dozen cities from Oakland to Los Angeles that allowed police to seize a vehicle immediately after its driver's arrest.

Even drivers suspected of buying a small amount of marijuana, a low-level crime punishable by a $100 fine, faced seizures in many of the cities with the ordinances.

The 4-3 ruling said only state law can mete out punishment for drug and prostitution offenses and without authorization from the Legislature, cities can't pass seizure ordinances that are harsher than state and federal laws.

Some towns like stealing private property for fun and profit.